Amidst escalating tensions in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have launched a raid on the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. The hospital has been under siege and shelling for several days, according to sources and the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The situation has prompted urgent calls for international intervention.
The spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qudra, reported that Israeli troops were rounding up men and boys in the hospital’s courtyard, including medical staff. He expressed concerns about their safety, calling for the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to act immediately to save lives.
Inside the hospital, there are patients, medical staff, and thousands of civilians who have sought refuge after being displaced from their homes. Hani Mahmoud, reporting from southern Gaza, described the raid as happening “under heavy gunfire and artillery shelling.” The Israeli forces have taken over the hospital, with tanks pushing deeper into the facility and subjecting it to heavy bombardment.
Kamal Adwan Hospital is the only functioning health facility in the northern part of Gaza, making the situation even more critical. The hospital has suffered extensive damage in recent days, with its facilities destroyed and major access roads leading to it blocked.
The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA reported that two mothers were killed when the maternity department of Kamal Adwan Hospital was hit on Monday. The hospital is currently accommodating 65 patients, including 12 children in the intensive care unit and six newborns in incubators. Approximately 3,000 internally displaced persons are trapped in the facility, facing extreme shortages of water, food, and power.
The situation in Kamal Adwan Hospital has been described as catastrophic by Leo Cans, the head of mission for Palestine at Doctors Without Borders (MSF). He expressed outrage at the conditions and compared them to those seen during World War I. Medics are operating on the floor due to the lack of beds, and children with severe injuries require multiple operations.
This is not the first time Israeli forces have targeted medical facilities in Gaza. The Indonesian Hospital and al-Shifa, the largest hospital in the territory, have also been raided and evacuated. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that only 11 out of the 36 hospitals in Gaza remain partially functional and pleaded for their protection.
Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territories, highlighted the importance of preserving healthcare facilities in Gaza. He stated, “We cannot afford to lose any healthcare facilities or hospitals. We hope, we plea that this will not happen.”
The ongoing violence in Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 18,000 Palestinians since Israel initiated its war on October 7. The situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital underscores the urgent need for international intervention to protect innocent lives and ensure the continuity of healthcare services in the region.
